2016

Rachel FurmanYOB: 1983Residence: Little Rock, AROccupation:Accomplishments: • 2014, Arkansas MTB Championship Series, Women 19-39, 1st Place • 2014, Arkansas MTB Marathon Series, Women 19-39, 1st Place • 2014, Wausau 24/9, 12-Hour Solo, 3rd Female Overall, 7th Overall • 2014, USARA Nationals, 2nd Overall (Bushwhacker) • IRVOC MTBO, November 2012, 2nd Overall • IRVOC MTBO, November 2011, 3rd OverallClub: Ark-La-Tex Orienteering SocietyTeam USA: 2015, 2016As an active participant with IRVOC, I volunteered at many of our O-Meets, hosted (set courses and directed) one or more meets a year, and served as Communication chair. I participated in our annual board meetings to help set the direction of the club, our schedule, and worked towards other improvements such as our e-punch system. Since moving from Illinois to Little Rock, I have found that my new area does not have an existing orienteering club. Though I attended one meet held by nearby ALTOS, I found that they have no maps for Arkansas and do not hold meets in the state. I see an opportunity to create a club or at least introduce orienteering types of events to the central Arkansas area and will work towards that goal.

Susan GrandjeanYOB: 1973Residence: Portland, OROccupation: Warehouse Manager at Showers PassAccomplishments: • 2003 National Champion for Expert Class in Mountain Biking. • 2004 Collegiate Omnium National Champion (combination of cross country, short track, dual slalom, and downhill) • US Ski-O Team member 1992, 1994, 2009Club: Columbia River Orienteering ClubTeam USA: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016I came in 2nd at the 1998 World Championships in Shovel Racing. Half a second from 1st, 60 mph on a shovel!

Abra McNairYOB: 1982Residence: Portland, OROccupation: Advocate—City of Portland Transportation DivisionAccomplishments: • Won the 2010 Women’s Cat B Cross Crusade Cyclocross Series • 1st Cat 2 MTB Short Track Series 2010 • 1st Cat 4 Swan Island Criterium 2010 • 3rd in the Pro/Cat 1 MTB Short Track Series in 2011 • Competed at 2012 MTBO World Championships in HungaryClub: Columbia River Orienteering ClubTeam USA: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016My most intense try-out experience was for the position of my high school mascot, the panther. My year as panther led me to a second mascot position as coyote, the mascot for a local Wenatchee AAA baseball team.

Mark PriorYOB: 1975Residence: San Francisco, CAOccupation: Entrepeneur-in-Residence, Thomvest Venture CapitalAccomplishments: • Consistently top 20 in overall US orienteering ranking. • 1st Place (out of 53, Overall) 2016 Checkpoint Challenge, San Luis Obispo, CA • 1st Place (out of 11, Overall) 2016 NorCal Adventure Race, San Jose, CA • 2nd Place (out of 51, Overall), 2015 Dawn-To-Dusk 12-Hour Adventure Race, San Luis Obispo, CAClub: San Diego Orienteering ClubTeam USA: 2016Mark, the newest member of the team, is excited to combine his two favorite passions of getting lost and crashing his bike. A recent daddy, he cross trains with endurance baby jogging expeditions and has recently been diagnosed with acute Lewis & Clark Syndrome, which requires never taking the same trail twice. Having competed in orienteering races in over 20 countries, including Portugal, he is well-qualified to help the team navigate the complex European breakfast buffet system this summer.

Thomas PuzakYOB: 1978Residence: Excelsior, MNOccupation: Writer/Real Estate Investment Company OwnerAccomplishments: • 2nd place overall at Arrowhead 135 • Former adventure racing national champion • Two finishes in the top 40% of the field at last year's world champs • Comet of the Year Award, 2013, for WMTBOC performanceClub: Minnesota Orienteering ClubTeam USA: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016Tom loves to orienteer when he’s not playing chess, playing Frisbee with his Australian Shepard Baxter, traveling to cover a story in his role as a writer for gearjunkie.com, or driving in his old and rusty RV as far as two gas tanks will allow (approx 180 miles).